Support means



Jan. 29, 1957 A. A. KALINSKE SUPPORT MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 18, 1954 o a o o u u o a o a o a a a e w Jan 29, 1957 A. A. KALINSKE 2,779,733

SUPPORT MEANS Filed Jan. 18, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent SUPPORT MEANS Anton A. Kalinske, Tucson, Ariz., assignor to Infilco Incorporated, Tucson, Ariz., a corporation of Delaware Application January 18, 1954, Serial No. 404,572

11 Claims. (Cl. 210-16) in the tank and guiding the flow from one to the other.

It is an object of this invention to provide improved support means for use in apparatus of the type referred to. Another object is to provide a simpler and more economical support for a sloping partition of this general type than-heretofore us'ed.

Another object is to provide novel support means for the internal structure of an apparatus of the type referred to, which, besides being simple and economical, increase the efiiciency of the operation of the apparatus.

Another object is to provide in an apparatus of the type referred to support means extending within the mixing chamber under the slanting hood and, by their presence, aiding in mixing and fiocculation in the mixing chamber.

Other objects will become apparent upon consideration of the detailed description and the claims which follow.

Hoodlike partitions slanting at an angle of about 45 toward, and spaced above, the tank bottom are used fre-' quently in liquid treating apparatus to separate a mixing chamber or zone under the hood from a separation or clarifying chamber or zone outside the hood. In relatively small apparatus such slanting partitions, as well as other internal structure, can readily be supported from a bridge spanning the tank. However, in large tanks this is impractical. Customarily, in large tanks the Weight of the hood as well as of the other internal structure, such as inner and outer draft tubes, walkway, and motor-rotor assembly, has beencarried by steel rafters sloping at the same angle as the hood and supported from the tank wall or bottom. This manner of supporting a load is un- 2,779,733 Patented Jan. 29, 195'? number, of vertical columns extending from the tank bottom upwardly within the hood, but that certain operational benefits are obtained thereby. Each of the columns provides small gentle local eddies which aid in mixing and enhance coagulation by augmenting particle collisions conducive to the formation of large dense particles or flocs. Thus, in addition to permitting important savings, these supports also increase the efficiency of the apparatus.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to the drawings which form a part hereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross sectional view of a liquid treating tank utilizing supports according to the invention with the supporting columns partly omitted;

Figure 2 is a horizontal cross sectional view along line 22 of Figure l with the motor removed;

Figure 3 is a vertical cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2, showing the new support means in detail; and

Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional View along line 4-4 of Figure l.

tion structure including a hood 1d, an inner draft tube 11 afiixed to the upper rim of the hood. 1t) and extending downwardly therefrom within the hood, and an outer draft tube 12 extending from the top of the tank downwardly; a walkway 15 supported with its outer end by the tank wall and extending across the space enclosed by the outer draft tube 12; a rotor 16 centrally arranged within the hood 10 and a motor-reducer 17 in driving conduit 22 discharges; and an efiluent withdrawal system outer ends from, the tank wall.

connection with the rotor 16 and installed on the walkway 15; an annular plate 20 extending from the hood 10 to the rotor 16 and forming with the hood and inner draft tube an inlet channel21 into which the inlet including a collecting launder 25 aflixed to the outer draft tube 12 and from which the efiluentconduit 26 leads, and a series of radial launders'27 extending from the collecting launder toward, and supported at their It will be obvious that these internals represent a great weight, which may be anything from 1 ton in relatively small tanks to 10 to tons in large tanks. While not all of these structural eleinents are used in all liquid treating apparatus, a majority of them will usually be present and require support.

economical as compared with vertical supports. This will become apparent when considering that the force needed to support a vertical load F at an angle of about believed that, for the sake of a streamlined circulation in the mixing chamber, the space under the hood must be free of structure of such type. respect to the circulation under the hood it is not only permissible to use a number,

and in large plants a great I have found that with about the rotor 15 and extend the rear have been omitted and instead have been shown.

Hoodlike partitions, such as shown at 10 in Figures 1 and 3, usually are made in laterally adjacent segments of sheet metal or the like, the number of sections depending on the size of the hood.

To support the internals, I provide a plurality of columns 30, the number depending on the size of the tank. If the hood 10 is made in sections, one column preferably is provided for each section, as shown in Figure 2. The columns 30 are symmetrically arranged from the tank bottom through the plate 20 and the hood 10 to the top of the tank A. For the sake of clarity, only the two columns at the section line are shown in Figure 1, while those to in Figure 3. The columns 30 can be made of any suitable material, such as steel or concrete, and can have any suitable configuration. Thus, round or square posts or columns can be used, or I or H sections, as shown.

The columns 30 are braced by tie rods: 31, as shown in Figures 3 and 4. All or some of the columns 39 may be fitted with baffles 33. Preferably, the baflles 33 are mounted at an angle to the columns, as shown in Figure 2.

The hood it can be directly secured to the columns 3b as by welding it to the columns, and for relatively small tanks this is satisfactory. With larger tanks 1 prefer to equip the hood It} with a plurality of vertically extending ribs 35, corresponding in number to the c lumns 36'. The ribs 35 are secured to the hood, preferably to its outside, as by welding. When the hood is made in sections, the ribs 33 are mounted along the lines where adjacent sections meet. The ribs 35' extend up to the elevation where the columns 30 pass through the hood to, and their upper ends are secured to the columns 3%. The lower ends of the ribs 39$ extend downwardly beyond th lower rim of the hood it} to a wall of tank. A, such as its bottom, and are provided with foot plates 36, as shown. The ribs 35 need not be heavy, as they are not relied upon to support any significant portion of the weight of the hood. in addition to serving for fastening the hoodto the columns, they also contribute to the stability of the support provided by the bracing of the columns. When no ribs are used, the hood itself may be provided with legs extending from its lower rim to the tank bottom to increase the stability of the support.

The inner draft tube 11 and plate 2% are aflix-ed to the hood it while the outer draft tube 12, with the launders 25 and 27 afi-lxedthereto, is mounted about the upper ends of the columns 30. The'inner end portion of the walkway, with the motor-rotor assembly mounted thereon, rests on top of diametrically opposed columns 30.. Thus, all internal structure not supported by the tank is directly or indirectly supported by the columns 30.

In operation of the apparatus the rotor circulates the liquid in the mixing chamber under the hood 19 outwardly from the center in all directions toward the hood, downwardly toward the tank bottom, inwardly adjacent the bottom and upwardly to the center of the rotor. To this overall flow pattern numerous local eddies are added as the liquid circulating in the mixing chamber is impelled against the columns 3%; These eddies are uniformly distributed over all horizontal planes in the space under the.hood,and augment the agitation and mixing effected by the rotor in a peripheral zone remote from the rotor, where the impelling force of the rotor is nearly spent. if more eddies are desired than the columns can afford, battles 33 may be provided.

It will be seen that the new support means permit considerable savings as'compared with the inclined rafters heretofore used for supporting internals including inclined hoodlike partitions, and at the same time contribute to the efficiency of operation of the treating unit.

It will be understood that the embodiment shown and described for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, can be modified in various respects without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention, and that,

therefore, I do not .wish to limit myself to the exact details of said embodiment.

I claim:

l. in'combination with a tank having a side wall and a bottom wall and an inclined hoodlike partition mounted in said tank, improved means for supporting said partition in fixed spaced relationship to the side and bottom walls or" said tank, comprising a plurality of stationary columns symmetrically arranged within the space coy-i eredby said partition and permanently supported by,

and extending upwardly from, thetank bottom through said partition, said partition being secured to said columns at the points where the columns pass through said partition. V Y c :2. In combination with a tank having a side wall and a bottom wall and a hoodlike partition mounted in said tank, improved means for supporting said partition in spaced fixed relationship to the side and bottom walls of said tank, comprising a plurality of stationary columns arranged within the space covered by said partition and permanently supported by, and extending upwardly from, the tank bottom, and means for securing said partition to said columns.

3. in combination with a tank having a side wall and a bottom wall and an inclined hoodlike partition mounted in said tank, improved means for supporting said partition in spaced fixed relationship to the side and bottom walls of said tank, comprising a plurality of stationary columns permanently supported by, and extending upwardly from, the bottom wall of the tank and symmetrically arranged within the space covered by said partition, and a plurality of ribsmounted on, and extending vertically along, said partition, and fastened with their upper ends to said columns.

4. In an apparatus of the type described including a tank having a side wall and a bottom wall, and a stationary inclined hoodlike partition, means for supporting said partition in spaced relationship to the side and bottom walls of said tank, comprising a plurality of sta- 5. In a liquid treating apparatus including a tank hav-.

ing a side wall and a bottom wall, and a stationary inclined hood made of laterally adjacent segments, means for supporting said hood in spaced relationship to the side and bottom walls of the tank, comprising ribs mounted along the lines where the segments of the hood meet and extending downwardly beyond the ower rim of hood to a tank wall, and a plurality of stationary columns, corresponding in number to said ribs, extending upwardly from said bottom wall within the space enclosed by said hood and through an upper portion of said hood, said ribs being secured with their upper ends to said columns at the points where said columns extend through said hood.

6. The apparatus of claim '5, including also mounted on said columns.

7. In a fluid treating apparatus including a tank having a bottom and a stationary inclined hoodlike partition, means for supporting said partition in spaced relationship to the tank bottom, comprising a plurality of stationary columns extending upwardly from the tank bottom within the space covered by said partition and through an upper portion of said partition, means for bracing said columns within said partition, and a plurality of ribs mounted on, and extending along, the outs-1f surface of said partition to said columns, and fastened. thereto, and extending downwardly beyond the partition to the tank bottom. SYThebpparatus of claim 2, including also baffles mounted on said columns. 7

9. In a liquid treating apparatus including a tank hav-' ing a side 'wall and a bottom wall, and internal structure, including a stationary sloping hood-shaped partition, the space within said partition being a mixing chamber means for supporting said internal structure in spaced relationship to said side and bottom walls comprising a plurality of stationary columns extending from'said bottom wall upwardly injsaid mixing chamber and through said partition to the top of said tank, said columns being symmetrically arranged, and a plurality of ribs, corresponding in number to said columns, mounted on the outbattles ,sideof said hood-shaped partition, and fastened with their ture comprising partition means extending from the top of the tank to an elevation spaced above the bottom wall and including a lower stationary sloping hoodlike member forming a mixing chamber, a walkway extending from the side wall across said partition means, and agitating means carried by said walkway and extending into said mixing chamber, means for supporting said internal structure comprising a plurality of stationary vertical columns extending from the tank bottom upwardly, said columns being symmetrically arranged about said agitating means within said mixing chamber and extending through said hoodlike member to the top of the tank, the upper part of said partition means being affixed to the upper part of said columns, and said walkway resting with its inner end portion on said columns, and a plurality of ribs mounted on, and extending vertically along, the outside of said hoodlike member, each rib being fastened with its upper end to a column.

11. In a tank having a bottom and internal structure,

including a stationary hood-shaped partition, means for 20 supporting said internal structure in spaced relationship to the bottom of the tank, comprising a plurality of stationary columns extending from the tank bottom upwardly in the space within said partition and through said partition, said partition being secured to said columns at the points where said columns extend through said partition, and staying means aifixed to said hood and extending downwardly from its lower rim to the bottom of said tank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 21,109 Sayers et al. June 6, 1939 1,846,294 Wiggins Feb. 23, 1932 2,122,384 Scott June 28, 1938 2,127,314 Spaulding Aug. 16, 1938 2,429,315 Greene Oct. 21, 1947 2,532,466 Stemmons et a1 Dec. 5, 1950 2,586,856 Orr et al. Feb. 26, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 586,972

Great Britain Apr. 9, 1947 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A TANK HAVING A SIDE WALL AND A BOTTOM WALL AND AN INCLINED HOODLIKE PARTITION MOUNTED IN SAID TANK, IMPROVED MEANS FOR SUPPORTING SAID PARTITION IN FIXED SPACED RELATIONSHIP T O THE SIDE AND BOTTOM WALLS OF SAID TANK, COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF STATIONARY COLUMNS SYMMETRICALLY ARRANGED WITHIN THE SPACE COVERED BY SAID PARTITION AND PERMANENTLY SUPPORTED BY AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM, THE TANK BOTTOM THROUGH SAID PARTITION, SAID PARTITION BEING SECURED TO SAID COLUMNS AT THE POINTS WHERE THE COLUMNS PASS THROUGH SAID PARTITION. 